HEART MOMS NIGHT OUT

The dads from our heart group have been getting together every once in a while, so we decided it was time for a heart moms night out.  We went to Painting with a Twist.  It was the first time I had ever been to something like this.  It was so much fun!  I didn't know it was possible for me to paint like I was able to do.  I am so happy with my finished project!!

CIRCUS

We were fortunate enough to receive tickets to the circus from Beads of Courage.  The kids were so excited to go!!  This is something that we look forward to every single year.

JULY WRAP-UP

July in pictures....

Maggie and her first soccer game

Maggie loves this princess set.  She honestly plays with it every single day.

Ready for her first soccer game

Sleepover fun with Sloan and Bailee

Bennett loving on Elsa

Mrs. Joyce sent this to Grace.  Grace thinks she is a rock star!

I saw this every single day walking down the halls of middle school.  She did this completely on her own.  I think I may be in trouble when this one is older.....

A fun day together

Grace wanted to have a play date before her heart cath.  This is her friend, Ella, and her sister, Elin.  Their mom is the art teacher at the kiddo's school that they just left.  Bennett face painted everyone to look like blue macaws from Rio 2.

A special treat before we had to go to the hospital.....

Grace's octupus

Maggie's shark

Bennett's ninja turtle

Soccer wears this girl out

The kid's went to stay at the farm while I was teaching dance camp.  They had so much fun!!

Is she beautiful or what?

This one used to be terrified of dogs....she loves them now!

Having fun at the farm

Bennett loves riding around with D-Daddy

Big changes in store with us....I accepted a new teaching position after 13 years of teaching in room 35.  My new school is 2.8 miles from my house.  This is a decision that was prayed about because it was not an easy decision to make.  However, I am excited about the future and the time we are going to be gaining as a family.

GRACE'S HEART CATH

Daddy and Lulu waiting to be called to our room

Starting to stress out a little

Waiting for the versed to kick in

Starting to feel good

Grace finally woke up when her BFF came to visit her.

Yikes!  I just realized that I never updated this site during/after Grace's heart cath.  I have become so dependent on FaceBook and it dawned on me that not everyone is on FB.  

So....Grace's cath did not turn out the way we hoped.  We got checked into the hospital and Grace was in a good mood.  She had to give blood...which was a little traumatic but she did pretty well.  We got moved into pre-op where she got her goofy juice.  She was so funny.  She kept trying to grab a wire off of her wrist and then cracking up laughing.  They kept her sedated for quite a while after the procedure which was a blessing since she had to lay flat for 6 hours.

The doctor had to go through both legs for this cath.  One leg was the tools and the other leg was the camera.  We had high hopes that this cath would be successful...but honestly...we aren't shocked that it didn't work.  The doctor told us that her normal pressure is on the low side of normal and the pressure in the baffle (placed during the last surgery) is on the high side of normal.  When they closed the hole, her body pressure dropped very low and the pressure in the baffle went up to unacceptable levels.  They had to pull out and leave things the way they are for the time being.

So where does this leave things?  We go back to see our cardiologist at the end of September.  We will know more at that time.  However, we know that they won't try again for 1-2 years until she grows some more.  She will just have to continue to self-monitor and realize that she can't do everything she wants to do.  It makes me sad because she is starting to get old enough to realize that she can't do it all...and she wants to do it all.  She is constantly saying, "I'm tired!'  She has been known to use this and "my stomach hurts" to try to get out of cleaning the playroom, but then there are the moments when she leans over and falls asleep on my legs at the loud soccer game.